The Federal Government has released the National Food Waste Strategy which provides a framework to support collective action towards halving Australia’s food waste by 2030.
The strategy contributes toward global action on reducing food waste by aligning with the United Nations Transforming our world: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and also helps give effect to Australia’s obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through the diversion of food waste from landfill.
An initial funding commitment of $1.37 million over 24 months will be used to support:
- An independent organisation (Food Innovation Australia Limited) that will develop an implementation plan as well as a monitoring and evaluation framework for the strategy and coordinate priority areas of work;
- a voluntary commitment program that will initially engage businesses and industries to commit to actions that reduce food waste; and
- a National Food Waste Baseline to allow monitoring and the tracking of progress towards the food waste reduction goal.
The National Food Waste Strategy identifies the four priority areas of policy support, business improvements, market development and behaviour change to help reach the 2030 goal.
Food Innovation Australia Limited will begin implementing the strategy, with a steering committee to provide advice and guidance. In late 2018 Food Innovation Australia Limited will deliver the plan for the strategy that sets out short, medium and long-term actions. The industry voluntary commitment program will be in place by early 2019.
Further information, is available now available.
